mmm-five wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 8:51 am
Totally agree about the seats (maybe Recaro Sportster CS instead of the Pole Positions ABE I have) - but I'd also add a set of decent coilovers to make the car how it should have been and can comfortably live with & drive on a daily basis for less than 1/3 the price of a used Alpine (about £50k at the moment in the UK).
100% correct about suspension and seats. I already had Bilstein PSS-10 on my Z4M (very good upgrade), but if I did not sell my Z4M I would have fitted Recaro CS sportster seats (not Pole Position). But fitting CS sporter seats with seat frames and coding will set you back 5.000euro + decent suspension (and alignment) 2.500euro = 7.500euro (= £6.500). I always felt the Z4M seats were bad, but now after not driving it for some year I was surprised to feel they are so horrible (for my taste). The make the car also feel less connected to you, because you sit so loose.
As stated; my Z4M roadster had a Bilstein PSS-10 suspension and the blue Z4M coupe a KW V3. Handling wise the Alpine feels scharper...but it is also 10 years younger. Overal grip is more on the Z4M and balance is totally different (front engine / mid engine). The Alpine feels more playfull and changes direction more quickly. The Alpine has NO manual gearbox; so lacks involvement in that area and the 1.8L turbo engine has also nothing special or unique about it. The Alpine A110 is unique and different as a total package, but his engine will not be remembered like the S54 from the Z4M. The engine, gearbox, high rpm make the Z4M a more emotional car on different levels.
I think the Z4M aged very wel and it’s already starting to feel like a old car but not yet a classic. In the coming years it will certainly evolve into a great classic. For the current money (halve the price of a Alpine) the Z4M is a great and rare car to buy & own
When talking about the price of used Z4M vs used Alpine. In my country the price difference is around 50%...you can get a Z4M coupe + a Z4M roadster for the price of a Alpine A110